


Second Blow

by paradisewaiting



Series: Breakdown [2]
Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: AU, Anxiety Disorder, Dogs, I needed to write angst, I'm Sorry, Jeeps, M/M, PTSD, Panic Attacks, Social Anxiety, Some sort of AU, Stuff, he doesn't like vehicles okay, idk what to tag, panic disorder, sassy levi is sassy, service dog, smut later, there might be smut later, vet tech eren, veterinarian
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-01-02
Updated: 2015-01-02
Packaged: 2018-03-04 22:19:37
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,913
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3093164
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/paradisewaiting/pseuds/paradisewaiting
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Levi pulled into the parking lot at the vet’s office and heard Kingston’s tail hitting the back seat. “You know we wouldn’t be here if you could keep that thing under control.” He muttered as he climbed out of the Jeep, Kingston following closely behind him. As soon as he was through the door he froze in his tracks. The front desk was to his left and standing behind it was the boy with the beat up civic from last week.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Second Blow

**Author's Note:**

> I had rank writers block writing this so I apologize.

“Levi, don’t forget you have your appointment today.”

“Good lord, Hange, I know. Kingston also has a vet appointment so I’m just going to take him with me. Have you seen his vest?” Levi rifled through drawers by the front door.  A hand hung down over his shoulder holding the black and mesh vest that he was looking for.  He snatched it away and hurried to the dog, who was waiting at the top of the stairs and wrapped it around him. He rubbed his head and tossed him a biscuit, which the dog caught mid-air, and clicked his leash on. He looked up to see Hange watching him. “Yes, I’m driving myself. Yes, I’ll be fine. Yes, your music is still shit.” He stated before turning and walking out to his Jeep.

                Therapy was the same as ever. The only difference was that he had Kingston with him this time. The shrink asked about that. No new prescriptions this time.

                He pulled into the parking lot at the vet’s office and heard Kingston’s tail hitting the back seat. “You know we wouldn’t be here if you could keep that thing under control.” He muttered as he climbed out of the Jeep, Kingston following closely behind him. As soon as he was through the door he froze in his tracks. The front desk was to his left and standing behind it was the boy with the beat up civic from last week. The one who had tried to help him. He felt his heart accelerate; the only sound he could hear was his own heartbeat. Kingston quickly padded in front of him and barked, pushing his nose into Levi’s hand, effectively snapping him out of his trance. Both men turned to look at the dog, who was looking at Levi with concern. “I’m fine.” He whispered and made his way to the front desk to check Kingston in for his appointment.

“I just need to get his weight before you see the vet.” The boy said reaching his hand out over the counter to take the dog’s leash. Levi walked to the edge of the counter and let Kingston wander around so the boy could see the large pitbul with a vest that said “Service dog. Please do not pet.” Along both sides and a large patch at the end that read “PTSD”. “Shit. Sorry dude, you can keep the leash. He just needs to stay on the scale.” Levi nodded and followed the boy, who was quite a bit taller than him, to the scale.

                He sat on the couch in the main room and waited for Kingston to be called into one of the offices. “Have I met you before?” Came the boy’s voice from behind the desk again. “You could say that.” Levi replied, keeping his eyes on Kingston at his feet. “I ran out of radiator fluid on the highway.” He said flatly. “Oh my god. I’m sorry. I was such an asshole too.” The boy moved to lean on the outside of the desk, mere feet away from Levi.  
“If I’d have known-“  
“You couldn’t have known. I didn’t have him with me. It was supposed to just be a quick trip to…nevermind.”  
“I still feel terrible; I definitely didn’t make things better. I could’ve just gone and gotten you some rad fluid”  
“It’s over. No need to dwell on it.” He laughed at himself. Yeah right. He’s one to talk about moving on.  
“What’s wrong?” Levi didn’t notice him looking out the window at his Jeep in the parking lot.  
“He wags his tail too hard, keeps busting it open.”  
The boy laughed again, like he had on the side of the road. Raw and clear and light. Levi just stared over the top of Kingston’s head, who was now sitting on the couch next to him.  
“No I mean, with your Jeep. I wasn’t lying when I said I’m pretty good with cars.”  
“So, what? Are you going to fix it for me?”  
“Maybe.”  
‘Well shit…’ This kid had balls, that much was evident.  
“Can I ask you a question?”  
“You just did, kid”  
“Point taken. You don’t have to answer. Why do you have a service dog?”  
‘Breathe Levi.’  
“PTSD.” He pet the dog’s head where it rested against his chest.  
“I’m not an idiot.”  
“Really? You could have fooled me. I was in an accident. What’s your name?” This was, by far, the weirdest conversation Levi had had in a long time.  
“Wow. Eren. I can fix your Jeep for you.”  
Levi looked up at the boy, startled. His face was clear, eyes bright and focused out through the window.  
“Why.” Not how; he knew it would need to be repaired eventually.  
“Because you won’t make it home with a puddle of fluid like that coming out from under it, and you looked pretty shook up last week on the side of the road there.”  
Levi turned his head and looked out the window behind him. Sure enough, even from inside, you could see the large wet spot under his Jeep.  
“Shit.” He turned and looked at Eren, who caught his expression, stuck somewhere between terror and intrigue and anger.  
“Or I could just call someone for you. Whatever you want. Oh, doc’s ready for you.” He said motioning toward the door on the other side of the room that was opening. Levi got up and moved into the room with Kingston.

                The appointment was over and he had paid and now Levi was staring at his jeep in the parking lot as the sun set slowly over the city.  
“I _can_ fix that you know.” Came the voice from behind him. Levi just shrugged and stared at the fluid on the ground. “Do you want me to drive you home?” Levi’s head snapped around to look at Eren. “Or we can both wait here for it to fix itself. I’m not going anywhere, though, until I know you can get home.” He leaned against his car casually. Levi deflated and walked toward his Jeep. “You’ll never make it home” He heard from behind him. “I’m just getting my shit, idiot. I’m not leaving it here.” He snapped, pulling his things out of the front seat. “So you’re going to let me drive you home?” Levi turned to see the boy smiling, still leaning against his car.  
“You keep telling me you can fix it.”  
“Can I run home and change first? I’d rather not get fluid and grease all over my work scrubs.”  
Levi rolled his eyes and sighed. “I guess, but I’m not sitting here and waiting for you.”  
The boy chuckled and opened the door of his car, stopping before he got in. “Yeah yeah. Get in the car. You can come along; it’s not a long drive.”  
Levi silently moved to the passenger side of the car and yanked the door open, looking at it skeptically as it creaked loudly. He didn’t have much time to criticize it, however, as Eren’s music came to life over the stereo. It was a song he was intimately familiar with, one he had listened to over and over again himself. Levi wasn’t aware he had been holding his breathe until he released it suddenly and lowered himself into the car, cringing slightly at the ratty seats. ‘Filthy’.

                It really wasn’t a long drive to the boy’s apartment. He had fidgeted nervously with the edges of his sketchbook while Eren drove and babbled about this and that, small talk.

“You wanna come in, or wait in the car. I won’t be long.”  
“I’ll wait.”

                He could barely keep himself calm in the car; he didn’t trust himself in someone else’s home.  He waited until the boy was inside the building before he burst out of the car, hands shaky. He paced around the sidewalk, Kingston close on his heels, until his nerves calmed a bit. Leaning against the small car he lit a cigarette. The shrink always said they were bad for the panic attacks but he just couldn’t give them up.  Halfway through the boy re-emerged, carrying a toolbox, and plodded down the stairs, out to the car. He stopped and gave Levi a look.  
“Yeah, I know these things will kill me, save it.” He rolled his eyes.  
“No, I was just wondering if you’d share. I kind of had to fix this guy’s Jeep after work and didn’t get a chance to pick any up.” Eren tossed the toolbox in the trunk.  
Levi shrugged and held the pack of cigarettes out. “These things will kill you ya know.” He said around his cigarette.  
“Shut it, hypocrite.”  
Levi actually cracked the tiniest smile at that.

                The sun had sunk below the horizon by the time Eren finally wriggled out from under the Jeep, claiming to have fixed the problem. The boy had told him several times not to worry while he was under the vehicle but Levi still paced. Still smoked the rest of his cigarettes. Still almost had a panic attack; Kingston had snapped him out of it before things got bad; Eren had been oblivious under the Jeep. His fingers were sore, nails bitten to nubs; he stared at them with disgust. ‘Fucking filthy.’ He tore his eyes way from his nails to look at the boy in front of him, dirty and greasy with green fluid stains on his shirt. He cringed and the boy noticed, looking down at himself. “You didn’t expect me to stay spotless under there did you?” He smiled. Perfect white teeth behind a cocky, crooked, grin. Levi just stared at him. “What do I owe you?” He made to pull out his wallet.  
“Coffee.”  
He coughed, almost dropped his wallet. “Excuse me?”  
“What? I enjoy your bluntness. Buy me a coffee sometime and we’re even.”  
“I don’t ‘go out’ for coffee.”  
“Then come over for one.”  
“Not happening.” He sighed and rolled his eyes.  
“Then I’ll come over for one.”  
“What is with you? Thanks for fixing my Jeep, but we’re not having coffee.” He moved toward his Jeep, opened the door.  He crawled in after Kingston and closed the door, leaning out the open window. He handed a twenty dollar bill to the kid through the window. “Here, go buy yourself some coffee on me. Same difference.” The expression the boy gave him was filled with anger and resentment and it caught Levi off guard. “I don’t want your fucking money.” He tossed the bill back through the window and stormed off only to return a few second later. “I know you have fucking issues and I’m really fucking sorry about that but, god damn, get a fucking clue.” This time he stormed off and got into his car, screeching away down the street, leaving Levi utterly speechless.

                He drove home in silence, letting Kingston into the yard upon his arrival. Hange was in the livingroom as he wandered mindlessly through on his way to his room. “Oi, what took you so long today?”  
“Hm? Oh, Jeep broke down again today. It’s fixed though.” He continued on.  
“What? You went and got it fixed?”  
“Oh, no. A kid at the vet’s fixed it. It’s been a weird day. I’m going to my room. Let Kingston in when he barks will you?”  
“Oh…kay…” Hange just watched him walk to his room and close the door behind himself, head cocked to the side.


End file.
